Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-06-02
a DIPLOMATS PLANT.
The Worries Experienced by Our
Representatives in Foreign Lands.


Only old men, or those who have
passed beyond the meridian of life, and
who do not think of pursuing business
vocations, ought to go into the diplo-
matte or consular SERVICE said the
Hon, Rufus Magee, of Indiana, now
Minister to Sweden and Norway, to n
Washington correspondent. while
the service gives one a great deal of in
teresting experience and information,
it gives him nothing that he can utilize
in the practical work of life. 1t mllts
him for any kind of business, and after
season abroad he returns to his native
country, lost to the avenues of useful
ness. Had l known before | entered
the diplomatic ise:vice what it really
was, should not haye entered 1t. But
| am now in it, have had two years of
it, and intend to serve out my term.
III is absolutely impossible for Min
lister or Consul To get ahead financially,
in the service, if he keeps up the popu-
larity of his post, and has any respect
for the dignity of the position he occu-
pies. 1t dosen't make any difference
what his salary is. The more salary he
draws the greater the dignity of his Of
fee, the more his expenses and the
same results financially, Our Minister
to Belgium, who draws Il salary of ST.
500, tells me he pays $4,000 to live
there. Belgium is very expensive
country to live in. Then the people in
the diplomatic and consular service
have to pay from twenty-five to forty
per cent. more for what they get than
anybody else
MY landlord charges me more than
anybody else, and when go INTO the
market or send any one the dealers as
certain that il is for an American that
the purchases are made and put up the
prices. They believe We are made of
gold, and it is impossible 10 make them
know we care for prices.
Recently l went into a store in
Sweden and asked the price of some
articles. When they were named re-
fused to buy, saying the prices were too
high. The merchant looked ut me in
credulously moment and then eX-
claimed
''Nhat An American care for the
price ! Why, an American has plenty
of money and he dosen't care for price. ,
In most parts of the world it is be-
lieved that We are veritable money
kings, aud they won't believe anything
else. Minister Phelps, who is at the
Court of ST james, gets SIT, 800 year,
but am told his living costs him a
u great deal more, ,and that being a CON-
paratively poor man, he will leave the
office with no money. The representa-
tiyes of all the countries at my post re-
ceive, believe, more salary and con-
tingent appropriation than do. The
tendency of our foreign service is 10 re-
strict representation TO men OF wealth
and men who are not in the young vigor
of life. Only those who are very
wealthy and who can afford to spend
twice or thrice their Salary, or are too
old to care for the activeness Of life and
are oblivious to loss of bus iness identity
in their native country, can afford to
enter the service.
Il do not look beyond the two years
of official life allotted to me, but l
should be glad to see Congress elevate
the standard of the foreign service by
showing degree of liberality. If Con
gress knew how necessary these eXpens-
es were to the maintenance of the
standing of representatives, it would
unhesitatingly come to the rescue